Here's the thing people don't seem to grasp.... EVERY MMO is a grind. If you don't want the grind, do not play an MMO. 

Guild Wars might be the biggest exception... but even then there's grind for money, PVP, etc...

WoW has grind. For starters - 1 to 80?? Thats 30 more levels.... and Aions last 5 are probably close to WoW's last 10.... 

WoW has even more grind when you factor in things like rep, Raids, PVP, and I could go on for pages.... yet... for some odd reason, no one complains.

EVE has a huge grind too. EVE works in real life time. So for example, level 1 of a skill may take only 10 minutes RL time to train, but level 5 might take 5 full days to train. This is also a "grind" because you can't power rush yourself into a new ship at your leasure. 

WARhammer - even though you can level in PVP, is STILL a grind. Jesus I wanted to shoot myself in the face knowing the quests were mostly boring and dull, and I could only handle running each "BG" (whatever they call them) so many times. I only made it to level 20+ because I couldn't handle how bad it was... unfortunately, it even got worse in upper levels - or so Im told. 

AoC, EQ, Linage, the list goes on and on. Every MMO is a grind. If you want a game that's extremely fast to the level cap, has an open, seamless world, and has no PVP worry what so ever, Lord of the Rings Online is absolutely the game for you. This is what you want Aion to be, but it isn't.... there is a game already that exists to meet your criteria. I suggest you invest in it and give it a shot! 

Originally posted by Kyleran

Originally posted by Pyrostasis

I dunno, 1 - 30 was done in a weekend for me... if anything I'd say the games a bit to easy. Granted it may ramp up in the end, but if I can level through 50% of the levels in 3 days, then its not to grindy.

Playing 72 straight hours doesn't count.  The rest of have to eat, sleep and fu...er you know. 

I got to level 6 over the weekend.

I will say I played 30 hours in those three days...but no where near 72. Check my xfire profile to confirm

I did not read all the replies but 19 hours is not a big deal when your hitting the last few levels, so you have to play a few days and earn the level instead of getting 2 in a day, what is the big deal? Are you in such a mad rush to cap out that you can not be bothered to play the game?

As for content, 1.5 has a plethora of new content from quests, mobs, dungeons, zones and so on and a lot of your game time at that lvl range would be spent in the abyss doing pvp.

I really see no problem and if that is your biggest gripe then that should put a lot of people at ease with their choice of playing Aion.

Originally posted by popinjay

Disillusioned MMO player: "This game is too grindy. If you change it, I'll think about subbing."

NCSoft: "We have significantly lowered the amount of "grind" that we have put in AION compared to our other games like Lineage I/II. We think most players will be pleased."

Disillusioned MMO player: "Really? I didn't know that. But it's still way too grindy. I won't sub unless you address it, and neither will my friends."

NCSoft: "Well, we specifically tailored AION's experience and level rate to Western gamers likes of less grind. We did research and found that this was important and we addressed it accordingly and the response overall has been very good. This is something we really wanted to do because we'd like them to be involved."

Disillusioned MMO player: "I don't know who you asked, but I'm just not feeling it. I read someplace where it takes 19 hours to get from Level 44-45! You call that no grind??? WTF?"

 

NCSoft: "Well, if you take the average gamer, for them that is only a net amount of 3% of their overall total gaming time. We feel 3% is an acceptable amount of time to spend at a higher level."

 

Disillusioned MMO player: "Well, it's not and I've been gaming since.. before they made computers and the internet. And while we're at it... why the hell can't I pvp when I make my character from Day 1? I played Warhammer and they let me pvp right from level 1!?!? I thought this was supposed to be such a "new game" but you don't even have that! This is a mistake and you won't get any customers."

 

NCSoft: "We feel the early levels aren't suited well to pvp due to players that may be new to the game and they simply need a break from unwanted attacks and ganking. There will be plenty of time to pvp once a player hits gets past Level 20. We currently have around 4 million customers and have tons of pre-orders, very few have said that was an issue."

 

Disillusioned MMO player: "I've talked to plenty of my other friends from Warhammer and Wow and they said they aren't coming to play AION either unless those things are added; especially the PvP thingy. Plus, it's too cartoony and looks like anime. You need to redo the art and make it "grittier". It's too soft and ghay looking."

 

NCSoft: "... We feel the art direction is in keeping with the storyline and you can tailor and highly customize your character to anything you wish if the base model is too.. "androgynous". You can spend as much time as you like with the sliders and make goblins, orcs, demons, tough guys, whatever you like. You are only limited in your imagination as to what your character looks like. We force nothing on you.

 

Disillusioned MMO player: "Yeah.. well, but I still have to look at other people who made ghay characters and I don't like that, so it's the same thing really. It's ghay. Mythic at least listens to us when we tell them to put something in. Anytime we say "put this in", Mythic does it right away! They really know how to treat their customers unlike you, NCSoft."

 

NCSoft: ... You aren't playing our game now. You aren't our customers as you yourself stated earlier.

 

Disillusioned MMO player: "Well.. we MIGHT be one day. I'm serious. If you want MY sub money, you'll have to change some things before you release this game. And I know you still have until September 22 because you are in beta, so you have NO EXCUSE to not put in what I and my 4 friends from Warhammer want. If we like it, we might bring over our guild. If you don't, we'll hit the forums and tell everyone how much crap this game will be, and wait for something else. Maybe Star Wars TOR. Then you'll be sorry!"

 

NCSoft: "Sorry to hear that. We wish you well in the search for your game. Have a great day!"

 

 

LOL! Brilliant.

I give it a 9 out of 10 (only because I believe there's no such thing as perfect :-p)
 

19 hours is not a long time. WoW could take that long at higher levels too.

Im just curious where 19 hours came from... Last I recalled, there wasnt a high level beta test in the US, and we do have a modified version...so Im just a little confused.

Screw you guys.....Im going home..

Btw every level in Aion is equal to 1.6 levels in WoW. Even if this guy's 19 hour statement is true (which I think it's exagerated and there are some missing pieces, such as how this will be for the western release in which I believe they are toning down the XP to level) that would mean about 12 hours in "WoW levels". I could very well see some of the later WoW levels in WoTLK taking that long.

I think it just sounds long because, like I said, it's a 1-50 game and not a 1-80 game.

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Im just curious where 19 hours came from... Last I recalled, there wasnt a high level beta test in the US, and we do have a modified version...so Im just a little confused.

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This is what I am wondering. He got the numbers off of powerbook, a korean aion fansite. I was certain that they modified the XP growth for the western release.

@ Pyrostasis: Wow, the amount of games you played, did you really all just buy them? I mean, wow.

Originally posted by Valentina

19 hours is not a long time. WoW could take that long at higher levels too.

Not for ONE level.

I took 22 days to hit L60 in pre-BC WoW. That was with lots of crafting, auction house, and BGs.

let's say 40-60 averaged 19 hours a level:

20*19=380

380/24=15.8 DAYS just for those last 20 levels. No way in hell WoW took that long.

I really hate grinding,  I know some people love it, but I much prefer questing. Yea yea its a grind to and all that bull, but you feel like your doing something smashing 1,2,3 ,1,2,3 ,1,2,3 can only be done so many times in a row before it gets old. To me thats a childish way to level, a chimp could be taught to do that in seconds. I prefer in depth story and lore, while not all quests include this there are usually many that do.  The step and fetch quests can usually be knocked out quickly and will typically lead your to a story quest sooner or later. IMO you learn nothing about the game or how to play your character by killing the same mob, with the same button smash, over and over, for hours. I think a healthy level time would be between 5-10 hours at the finial levels, some of you people may say this thread is started by a troll, but I think its just a fellow gamer trying to get his opinion about the game voiced so people can try and hear about the game from someone actually playing it. I like wow, but I hated leveling I only managed to hit 80 when I discovered the handy dandy ui called Carbonite.

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Originally posted by Souldivide
I really hate grinding,  I know some people love it, but I much prefer questing. Yea yea its a grind to and all that bull, but you feel like your doing something smashing 1,2,3 ,1,2,3 ,1,2,3 can only be done so many times in a row before it gets old. To me thats a childish way to level, a chimp could be taught to do that in seconds. I prefer in depth story and lore, while not all quests include this there are usually many that do.  The step and fetch quests can usually be knocked out quickly and will typically lead your to a story quest sooner or later. IMO you learn nothing about the game or how to play your character by killing the same mob, with the same button smash, over and over, for hours. I think a healthy level time would be between 5-10 hours at the finial levels, some of you people may say this thread is started by a troll, but I think its just a fellow gamer trying to get his opinion about the game voiced so people can try and hear about the game from someone actually playing it. I like wow, but I hated leveling I only managed to hit 80 when I discovered the handy dandy ui called Carbonite.

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//\\//\\oo doesn't play the game at a higher level though, and the person who started the aionsource thread did not either.

Originally posted by Nadril

 

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Originally posted by Souldivide
I really hate grinding,  I know some people love it, but I much prefer questing. Yea yea its a grind to and all that bull, but you feel like your doing something smashing 1,2,3 ,1,2,3 ,1,2,3 can only be done so many times in a row before it gets old. To me thats a childish way to level, a chimp could be taught to do that in seconds. I prefer in depth story and lore, while not all quests include this there are usually many that do.  The step and fetch quests can usually be knocked out quickly and will typically lead your to a story quest sooner or later. IMO you learn nothing about the game or how to play your character by killing the same mob, with the same button smash, over and over, for hours. I think a healthy level time would be between 5-10 hours at the finial levels, some of you people may say this thread is started by a troll, but I think its just a fellow gamer trying to get his opinion about the game voiced so people can try and hear about the game from someone actually playing it. I like wow, but I hated leveling I only managed to hit 80 when I discovered the handy dandy ui called Carbonite.

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//\\//\\oo doesn't play the game at a higher level though, and the person who started the aionsource thread did not either.

How do you know?

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Originally posted by Souldivide

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Originally posted by Nadril

 

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Originally posted by Souldivide
I really hate grinding,  I know some people love it, but I much prefer questing. Yea yea its a grind to and all that bull, but you feel like your doing something smashing 1,2,3 ,1,2,3 ,1,2,3 can only be done so many times in a row before it gets old. To me thats a childish way to level, a chimp could be taught to do that in seconds. I prefer in depth story and lore, while not all quests include this there are usually many that do.  The step and fetch quests can usually be knocked out quickly and will typically lead your to a story quest sooner or later. IMO you learn nothing about the game or how to play your character by killing the same mob, with the same button smash, over and over, for hours. I think a healthy level time would be between 5-10 hours at the finial levels, some of you people may say this thread is started by a troll, but I think its just a fellow gamer trying to get his opinion about the game voiced so people can try and hear about the game from someone actually playing it. I like wow, but I hated leveling I only managed to hit 80 when I discovered the handy dandy ui called Carbonite.

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//\\//\\oo doesn't play the game at a higher level though, and the person who started the aionsource thread did not either.

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How do you know?

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Ask them yourself. I know I'm right.

Originally posted by Nadril

 

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Originally posted by Souldivide

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Originally posted by Nadril

 

 
 

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Originally posted by Souldivide
I really hate grinding,  I know some people love it, but I much prefer questing. Yea yea its a grind to and all that bull, but you feel like your doing something smashing 1,2,3 ,1,2,3 ,1,2,3 can only be done so many times in a row before it gets old. To me thats a childish way to level, a chimp could be taught to do that in seconds. I prefer in depth story and lore, while not all quests include this there are usually many that do.  The step and fetch quests can usually be knocked out quickly and will typically lead your to a story quest sooner or later. IMO you learn nothing about the game or how to play your character by killing the same mob, with the same button smash, over and over, for hours. I think a healthy level time would be between 5-10 hours at the finial levels, some of you people may say this thread is started by a troll, but I think its just a fellow gamer trying to get his opinion about the game voiced so people can try and hear about the game from someone actually playing it. I like wow, but I hated leveling I only managed to hit 80 when I discovered the handy dandy ui called Carbonite.

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//\\//\\oo doesn't play the game at a higher level though, and the person who started the aionsource thread did not either.

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How do you know?

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Ask them yourself. I know I'm right.
 

How are you so sure? Do you know them? Or are you making some sort of uneducated guess because they do not agree with you? Please allow me to learn your gift of insight. 

I read this title, and I think:

Thank god.

Does anyone else feel similar? I think this is a bonus, and adds meaning to being level 45. I'm sick of levels being handed out, everyone knows 59-60 pre-BC was hard, and that's the way things should have remained.

HOWEVER, I think you may be forgetting that the leveling curve has been adjusted as they have added a level 50, which if everything goes smoothly should be implemented at launch (patch 1.50).

Originally posted by Vallanor

Originally posted by storm-dragon

I'm sorry I don't consider participating in very interesting fun quest grinding...

 

Whoa... what mmo has "very interesting, fun quests"?  I've played the majority of the big-name titles and have never experienced this.  At best, the questlines disguise the grind, but do absolutely nothing to eliminate it.  At worst, they decide how you should grind rather than allowing you to decide which dungeon to crawl.

Maybe we just genuinely disagree about this, but no game I've ever played has had more than maybe 5% of its quests anything more than kill x or gather y, then do it again somewhere else.  If I could find a game that actually includes "very interesting, fun quests" I would be ecstatic.  However, it's been my experience that they just don't exist.

This is why I truly don't understand the "anti-grind" arguments.  I mean no disrespect to what is a legitimate viewpoint, but quest grinding is no better than mob grinding in my opinion.  I'd just as soon join a few like-minded adventurers and crawl a dungeon for an hour or two rather than run back and forth across the countryside fed-exing things for lazy npcs.

Aion has very interesting fun quest, yes you have filler quest but the story arch quest, which are frequent, are very enjoyable. Aion has a huge in depth back-story, I get that not everyone is into that, but those who are, are going to have a very good time in this game.

The big problem is the grinders are doing this social engineering campaign to make everyone think it's a grinders game, the PvPers are doing the exact same thing trying to make everyone think it's a PVP game...I guess they are hoping to get a lock on the community so they can somehow better influence the developers...the only problem is the developers know which direction they are going, and that is a big tent game that caters to multiple play styles. I get that this pisses certain niches off, but top shelf games can't afford to appeal to these small segments any longer.

I'm still interested in hearing whether a level 45 has a reasonable chance in combat against a level 50.

Personally I prefer a game that takes time to level anything otherwise to me is too easy and I prefer a challenge. I simply don't understand why people are in such rush to level .  They get in that mad rush to reach Cap level and then what..they wind up grinding anyway. I have played beta's on Aion and really like the game. One of my main reasons is that it is not to easy to level .

I do tell people that if they like the rush to level their toon then Aion is not  the game for them. I will continue to play and eventually reach cap level in due time but the enjoyment I get in the process will well be worth the wait.

I do have couple minor things that I don't particularly like but they won't prevent me from playing. As a gamer and an adult I do understand that their is good and bad in any game it is your choice to choose to take the bad with the good and play the game.

Happy gaming!

Originally posted by Neohappy

@ Pyrostasis: Wow, the amount of games you played, did you really all just buy them? I mean, wow.

Over the past few years yeah...